Abram the Hebrew; so called, either,
1. From his great and good predecessor Eber, Genesis 10:24, Genesis 11:14, in and by whom the primitive language and true religion were preserved; and therefore though Abram had five other progenitors between Eber and him, which were persons of less note, he is rightly denominated from Eber, the Hebrew, because he was the first that revived the memory and the work of Eber, that kept up the same language, and eminently propagated the same true religion. Or,
2. As others think, from his passing over the river Euphrates, from beyond which he came into Canaan. These were confederate with Abram, i.e. had entered into a league for their mutual defence against common enemies. Whence we learn that it is not simply and universally unlawful to make a league with persons of a false religion.